TrevEchoes

TrevEchoes | February
| February | l|
| 2018
| 2018

February 2019 | Trevecca Nazarene University’s Official Student Newspaper Since 1944 | TrevEchoesOnline.com

NEWS Trevecca observes MLK day for the first time

Tuition to increase I was so used to it, especially coming
from high school,” said Tynaisia Rush,
2 percent president of Walden, a leadership club
Page 4 for African American students. “So,
just getting this day off really shows
TREND appreciation, not only to MLK, but also
to the African American students on
Mr. Trevecca pag- campus.”
eant returns Walden’s mission is to encourage
“leadership among African American
Page 2 students, raise retention, and build
communities.”
COLUMN Javionne Smith, vice president of
Walden, said arriving at Trevecca felt like
Why everyone a culture shock.
“I didn’t see that many black people
should celebrate around campus, but it definitely has
Black History Month grown since I got here,” said Smith.
Page 6 “Finally getting [Martin Luther King
Day] off means that we’re actually
SPORTS growing and becoming more diverse. It
feels like they actually do care.”
Athlete’s post over- Students at the MLK march. Photo provided by Buzard. Students started the celebration
all average GPA of BY KAYLA WILLIAMSON Trevecca observed Martin Luther King Saturday, Jan. 19, with a community
STAFF WRITER
Day for a full weekend this year. This service day.
3.265 Some students served, some students is the first time the university has given James Casler, Director of the J.V. Morsh
marched and all students has the day off students Martin Luther King Day off.
Page 7 Center for Social Justice, and one of the
class for the first time on Martin Luther “When we didn’t have [Martin Luther
King, Jr. day. King Day] off, that shocked me because CONTINUED PAGE 5

CONNECT Open apartment rules change for first time in 10 years

/TrevEchoesOnline BY BROOKLYN DANCE agreed on passing all but the proposal
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF to eliminate the third person rule, Changes in policy:
@TrevEchoes Three aspects of Ivan Palomares’ which was tabled. Student Life Council
four-pronged proposal to change open members ultimately decided that more
@TrevEchoes apartment policies have been approved education should be implemented Open hours every night
by both the Student Life Council and before passing the final request. in both male and female
TrevEchoesOnline.com the President’s Cabinet. The changes “They approved all but the one apartments
will be effective once RAs are trained about the three-person rule. They did
TrevEchoes@gmail.com accordingly. not vote in down, they just said they
Palomares, student body president, want to wait on that one a bit longer Less RA check ins
TNU Events App created a four pronged proposal: to because they feel like there needs to
have more consistent open dorm hours, be some additional work,” Lilienthal
less RA check ins during open dorms, said. “There was conversation [like,]
INSIDE to eliminate the open blinds policy and ‘we need to do a better job about Blinds don’t need to be
NEWS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 to eliminate the rule requiring a third educating our student population open
person to be in the apartment during about appropriateness of the situations
OPINION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
open hours. they put themselves in.’”
SPORTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
After three separate one-hour The President’s Cabinet met on Feb.
FEATURES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 student life council meetings, the group 6 and Tom Middendorf, associate
CONTINUED PAGE 4

Record rainfall hits campus Trevecca community honors

BY MATTHEW PARRIS
STAFF WRITER
Ray Thrasher
BY BAILEE FORD
Some buildings on campus are still STAFF WRITER

drying out after Nashville received a
record 4 inches of rain on Feb. 6.
The Tartar Student Activity Center
gym, the Bud Robinson building, and
the Tidwell building were all flooded.
According to Greg Dawson, captain of
university security and director of emer-
gency management.
According to the Nashville Weather
Service, the 4 inches of rain surpassed
the daily rainfall record for Feb. 6, which
was only 1.73 inches, set in 1884. The rain
caused flash floods, leading to numer-
SGA will dedicate their all-school
gift this year in memory of Ray Thrash-
er, alumna and former employee who
lived on campus since she arrived as a
student nearly 60 years ago.
Affectionately referred to as the
“Squirrel Lady” by some students,
Thrasher was a near-constant presence
on Trevecca’s campus since she enrolled
in 1969.
She passed away on Jan. 14.
SGA will propose creating a front
Students packed into the basement of the library. Photo provided porch space at Waggoner Library for stu- Thrasher at a soccer game. Photo provided by Trevecca marketing.
by Waggoner Library.
CONTINUED PAGE 5 dent hang out space. CONTINUED PAGE 8
2018 | February | TrevEchoes
Counseling center works to keep up with increase in requests
BY NAOMI OVERBY
STAFF WRITER
Madison Bowers, a freshman at
Trevecca, applied for an appointment at
the counseling center after experiencing
major anxiety at the beginning of
November and waited for a response.
When an email came in three days
later, she opened it to find she’d been
waitlisted and provided with self-care
tips until they could find a place for her,
which didn’t happen until the last day of
the month.
“People had told me early in the
semester that the counseling center was
filling up fast but I didn’t realize how
fast,” Bowers said. “I appreciated the list
of tips, but my anxiety was really bad
so I wasn’t sure what to do at the time.
Since I’ve been attending now it’s been
great, but in the moment it was hard to
sit and wait.”
While there isn’t currently a waitlist,
the center’s availability is decreasing
every day as spots fill again for the
semester.
Current numbers of how many
students are using the center weren’t
available as the center is in the process
of changing data management systems.
Mr. Trevecca crowned after event makes a comeback
BY kayla williamson
STAFF WRITER
Nick Camillo, Trevecca’s 2019 win-
ner of Mr. Trevecca, was watching reruns
from the TV show “Drake and Josh” on
YouTube when he got his idea for the
talent portion of the male pageant.
Camillo sang and danced to the
“Soul Man” episode, equipped with the
iconic sunglasses, fedora and black and
white suit.
Other rounds consisted of introduc-
tion, spirit, and Q&A.
On Friday, Feb.1, the social life
committee hosted Mr. Trevecca, an all
male pageant showcasing 10 Trevecca
students. The audience voted after four
rounds and ultimately crowned Camillo
as winner.
“I had a lot of fun doing the show,”
said Camillo. “I got to compete with a lot
of amazing people.”
There was a wide range of talent
represented during the show including
solving five Rubrics cubes in under two
minutes, translating English to Chew-
bacca using a blow gun, and a very pop-
ular segment of stand up comedy.
As the winner, Camillo was present-
ed with a $150 check. He plans to use
the money for a summer internship in
England, working with the children and
youth ministry of a Nazarene church.
Shelby Morrison, social life director
and organizer, said Mr. Trevecca is the
event that she’s most proud of this entire
school year.
About 150 more students showed up
than there was room for. Organizers for
the event set up a “viewing room” where
the event was live streamed for the over-
flow. Students in the viewing room were
still able to cast votes.
“People wanted to be in the [main
room] of course, so it might not have
In October of last semester, the center
reported an 83 percentage increase in
student requests for counseling.
“There isn’t a negative stigma to
counseling on campus which is great,”
said Jennifer Neely, the coordinator of
counseling engagement. “That would
not have always been the case even five
years ago. The fact that we see so many
students… we’re the most efficient show
in town.”
To problem solve some of the wait
during the fall semester, the center
hired more interns, extended sessions
as late as 7 p.m. on weekdays and put a
new policy in place for those who were
attending that semester: if a student
missed a session without letting their
counselor know they lost their spot
and would have to be put back on
the waitlist if they wanted to attend
again. While this policy isn’t still being
enforced as heavily now, it may return if
the center does see another waitlist.
“It was to be considerate of those who
actually need that hour,” said Qunisha
McKee, an intern at the counseling
center. “It’s always an open door, and if
they need to come back later they can,
but I’m going to have to take that person
off my schedule and open the space
been ideal,” said Morrison. “But people
were happy we accommodated, and they
were still able to view the event.”
Morrison was trying to come up
with an idea for a potential “non – tra-
ditional” event. When she explained the
event to Matt Spraker, associate dean of
students for community life, he said that
it resembled an event that was done in
the past. An event that was banned for
“pushing the envelope.”
“I had to make sure it was viewed
as a comedic event and that the guys
knew what they were getting into,” said
Morrison. “I wanted to remake it into
something that was healthy, positive and
clean.”
Both Camillo and Morrison said
they made new friends because of the
Mr. Trevecca winner Nick Camillo. Photo provided by SGA.
back up.”
In addition to more staff and hours,
the center’s staff is planning group
conversations on campus.
“Along with SWEET events, we’ll be
doing two community conversations,”
said Neely. “One will be around sexual
assault awareness with maybe a panel
component. Then we’re going to do an
addictions and vices chapel.”
Overall, Neely is satisfied with the
work the counseling center has been
doing in the physical space they have.
“It’d be awesome if we had more staff,
but we’re landlocked in this building,”
she said. “We’re even using the porch as
a counseling room, and it’s winter. We
have heaters and no one has complained
yet, but we’re maxed out in capacity.
Despite often operating at capacity,
students are overall satisfied with
counseling services on campus,
according to a survey conducted by the
center’s staff.
Out of a checklist of areas the
counseling center assisted in, 91.76
percent of students said they learned
one or more strategies to solve or cope
with problems, 88.1 percent said they
gained a greater sense of identity or
event.
“I just want to thank them,” said
Morrison. “I have a lot of respect for all
10 contestants and everyone who put
in applications and put themselves out
there.”
The application was in place of
traditional auditions.
Paige Suckley was the host of the
event. She introduced contestants, read
the results after each round, and was re-
sponsible for reading the Q&A questions
picked out of the jar.
Suckley’s lively attitude is what
prompted Morrison and the social life
committee to pick her to be the host. She
was glad to be part of the event.
“To me, [being the host] was anoth-
understanding of self and 82.35 percent
said they strengthened self-management
skills. Those three areas were the most
common answers among the students
surveyed.
Bowers said all those categories were
applicable to her experience at the
counseling center.
“My counselor and I have really
worked on managing my anxiety and
seeing what causes it,” said Bowers. “It’s
been really helpful in balancing stress,
social life, and my idea of who I am on
a Christian campus in today’s world. It’s
the first time I’ve had access to a healthy
counseling experience and I’ve been so
thankful for it.”
er way to get involved at Trevecca and be
a part of the community,” said Suckley.
“Most of [the contestants] I didn’t know
very well, but now I feel like I’ve gotten
to know a little bit about all of them.”
Suckley’s favorite part of the show
was the talent portion.
Jonathan Smith, junior, was one of
the students who attended the event.
“I think it was well done,” said
Smith. “I’d like to see a Ms. Trevecca.”
His decision to attend the event was
based solely on his curiosity.
“I was interested in how it would
function because it’s a men’s pageant,”
said Smith. “I was interested to see what
different talents they would have.”
Carolyn Johnson, freshman, also
enjoyed the event, but was disappointed
that some students had to leave the main
room. She also felt there was a lack of
diversity in contestants.
“I didn’t like [that students had to
leave the room],” said Johnson. “I felt
like they should have planned better.”
Johnson said she goes to a lot of
events, and this one sparked her atten-
tion.
“I thought it would be funny and
interesting, “said Johnson. “I wanted to
support the people that I knew were in
it.”
Ronessa Hart, freshman, thought
the event was great overall.
I think the event was really fun,”
said Hart. “It was awesome because you
got to see something that was typically
female done by men. I loved being able
to see people that I wouldn’t have nor-
mally seen in a different light.”
Morrison is hoping to encourage the
next social life director to continue the
event.

New academic honestly policy will track student offenses
BY MIRIAM KIRK
ONLINE EDITOR
A new protocol on campus this year for
dealing with students who cheat will mean
better tracking of academic dishonesty on
campus.
Last year Lena Welch, dean of the school
of arts and sciences, and Tom Middendorf,
associate provost and dean of academic
affairs, met with faculty who shared a
common interest for student learning
outcome to discuss additions and changes to
the university’s academic honesty policy.
The university has always had a policy
that stated academic dishonesty is wrong
and that when standards are not met there
would be a penalty.
But there was no way of keeping track of
each individual offense.
As of Fall 2018, Trevecca is now keeping
track of every violation of academic honesty
for all students.
Welch advocated for a new policy because
there was no way of keeping track of every
time a student was violated university policy.
“There is a study that says one-third of
students never cheat, one-third of students
always cheat, and then one-third will cheat
if given the opportunity,” said Welch. “I
believe that most students want to be honest,
however, there are instances when students
are knowingly dishonest and that’s what we
are tracking.”
Now every time a student is caught being
academically dishonest in a class the faculty
member must submit a report of what
happened and how it was handled to the
dean of the school and from there it goes to
the office of the provost.
Middendorf said the policy is in the best
TrevEchoes | February | 2018 |
interest of students. “The change to the policy is truly in the very best is important to learn between these
“Yes, this change is to keep track of those spirit of education. We are not trying to scare developmental ages of 18 and 22. These are
students who are consistently dishonest but students, we believe teaching students to qualities that are going to suit students well
it’s also to protect students who are always plan well, put in the effort, and to do your in the work force,” said Middendorf.
honest. It helps us to see whether these are
just isolated incidents or if there are deeper
issues that need intervention,” he said.
“Trevecca is a Christian community and we Academic honesty is expected of all students at Trev-
believe honesty is missional for the moral ecca Nazarene
development of students and honesty in
University. It is an integral part of the educational pro-
academics is a core component of that. For
students to truly be able to learn the work
cess where learning takes place in an atmosphere of
needs to be done by the student.” mutual trust and respect.
The goal of every educational institution
is to produce students who know and are Each student is responsible to maintain high standards
capable to do their job well because of what of academic ethics, personal honesty, and moral integ-
they have learned in the classroom, he said. rity. Dishonest academic behavior will be dealt with
Middendorf posed a question. fairly and firmly.
“Has a student truly learned content in
a class if they cheat or have they simply First and Second Offense:
learned to take a short cut?” he asked.
Administrators also hope that the change
Teacher/administrative options:
to the policy will be a deterrent to students if
they’re given the opportunity to cheat. 1. Rewrite paper.
“Tracking a student’s infractions will 2. Failing grade on paper or exam.
hopefully keep them from attempting to 3. Failing grade for the course.
cheat again, because they’ll know that there
will be consequences,” Welch said.
4. Warning and name sent to associate provost and dean of academ-
All faculty members were provided a ic affairs.
statement from the provost’s office to add 5. Replace or pay for materials (minimum required penalty for infrac-
to their syllabus highlighting the change of
tion #5).
policy.
6. Fine.
It states: “Faculty members are expected to
report all incidents of academic dishonesty
to the associate provost and dean of
academic and student affairs. Academic Third Offense:
dishonesty may result in a failing grade in a 1. Failing grade for the course and/or immediate dismissal.
course, or, in cases of multiple infractions,
dismissal from the University.”

SOMA offers multiple ways to get involved on campus this semester

BY Joshua Michel
STAFF WRITER
In addition to their weekly Tuesday
night worship, SOMA has this semester
introduced morning prayer, new service
opportunities and a revival movement.
“It’s a safe environment. If you don’t
have a community at Trevecca, you will
find it here. We have bomb worship
and cool messages from our peers and
friends,” said Maeve Tamez, one of the
student leaders.
Joshua Connerty, SOMA chaplain,
finds joy in starting his day with
morning prayer.
Photo provided by Soma’s Instagram account.
“Something new that we have really
enjoyed this semester is morning prayer,
which happens every morning at 7
a.m. at the Porch of the Bud Robinson
building,” said Connerty.
This half-hour of prayer time consists
of silent reflection, singing of a hymn,
prayers of thanksgiving, open discussion
of sins and prayer in small groups.
“As our family continues to study
spiritual discipline together, we have
been focusing on the health of our
prayer lives, both individually and
collectively,” said Connerty.
SOMA has also restructured their
social media team, worship team,
hospitality team, prayer team and a
set-up and tear down team. Any student
willing to serve will be welcomed. The
most recent development, however, has
been coupling with Awaken Nashville.
“We’re partnering with a movement
called Awaken Nashville, which is a
collective of churches and universities
throughout the city that has gathered
together. Throughout the month of
February, 300 churches from different
denominations and regions of Nashville
are standing with universities such as
Vanderbilt, Tennessee State, Lipscomb,
Belmont, Nashville State, and Fisk,” said
Connerty.
Students and church members will
be praying and fasting for the city
of Nashville, and receiving a list of
Nashville residents to pray over by
name.
While it is a student-organized
assembly, SOMA leaders recently have
sought the advice of Tim Green, former
university chaplain.
“SOMA is under the spiritual
umbrella of Trevecca’s religion
department. For that reason, Tim
Green, as the head of the department,
serves the SOMA community as support
and supervision. Since our university is
currently without a campus chaplain,
the relationship has been more of
a structure of accountability. ” said
Connerty.
Despite the involvement and guidance
of the former university chaplain,
SOMA does not believe it is a position
they are meant to fill.
“SOMA does not fulfill the role of
a chaplain or going to chapel. It also
doesn’t replace a home church, we’re not
trying to be a church, we’re just trying
to be a student-led ministry on campus
that benefits Trevecca and brings unity,”
said Tamez.
SOMA is held every Tuesday night at
9 p.m. in the Porch located in the Bud
Robinson building. In addition, student-
led morning prayer is likewise held in
the Porch of the Bud Robinson building
seven days a week from 7:00 to 7:30 a.m.
“We want everyone on campus to
come to that, we aim to be a family and
take care of each other. We welcome all
majors, residents, and commuters,” said
Tamez.
SOMA can also be reached on
Instagram at @tnusoma.
“Our goal is to be faithful. As we learn
to serve God and love one another, we’ve
found growth to be one of the many
sweet fruits that follow faithfulness,”
said Connerty.
2018 | February | TrevEchoes
NEWS
Tuition to increase 2 percent next year
BY matthew parris
STAFF WRITER
For the third year in a row, Trevecca
will raise its tuition for undergraduate
students by about 2 percent in an
attempt to stay affordable to students
despite rising costs.
From 2017-2018, Trevecca’s tuition
raised by about $475, approximately
a 2 percent increase, which will be
implemented again for next semester.
According to www.
collegetuitioncompare.com,
Lipscomb’s tuition raised 3.95 percent
at $1,175, Belmont raised 4.56 percent at
$1,431, and Vanderbilt raised 4.5 percent
at $2,052.
“I would say Trevecca is trying to
be as conservative as possible on
tuition increases so that we can meet
the financial needs of the university,
but also respect the families that have
“There is this missional piece
to this,” Middendorf said.
“Affordability is really important
for a place like Trevecca, for a
Christian education. Our costs
can get to a point where we
aren’t affordable to the people
who we think can use a Christian
education and go out and impact
the world for Christ.”
Cabinet approves proposed changes to open apartment life
CONTINUED FROM COVER
provost and dean of academic and
student affairs, presented the proposal.
The Cabinet voted to approve the three
rules. The blinds will not need to be
opened, open hours will consist of
every night in both male and female
apartments and RAs will check in less
frequently than the current rule, which
is every hour on the hour.
Lilienthal said she’s not sure what
the new RA check ins will look like, but
they will likely be more random. She
added that if problems do arise, they
hope to work through them instead of
just ending the trial run.
“We’re going to try it out. If it looks
like there’s some problem areas we
could always go back and adjust them,
but I don’t think in those three areas
there will be problems,” Lilienthal said.
Lilienthal added that she is looking
into the best system for RA checks that
isn’t as intense, but holds residents to
a level of accountability so that they
know she and her staff care about
what’s going on.
The student life council is comprised
of 10 members including student
leaders and faculty on campus. Jessica
Dykes, associate vice president and
dean of student development, is tasked
with facilitating the meeting and
chosen to be a part of this community,
families who have sent their kids here,”
said Holly Whitby, associate provost
and dean of student management.
Whitby serves on the committee that
analyzes data--including Trevecca’s
expenses and the overall market--to
recommend tuition, room and board
pricing to the President’s cabinet,
along with Tom Middendorf, associate
provost and dean of academic affairs.
“There is this missional piece to
this,” Middendorf said. “Affordability
is really important for a place like
Trevecca, for a Christian education.
Our costs can get to a point where we
aren’t affordable to the people who we
think can use a Christian education
and go out and impact the world for
Christ.”
However, very few incoming students
pay for full tuition. According to
numbers provided from the school to
therefore remaining neutral.
Dykes said that the conversation was
effective and that the faculty on the
student life council cared about the
student perspective
“We had some great perspectives
from both sides about why we have
these things in place, through the lens
of moral development and spiritual
development and community life,”
Dykes said. “And then also other
individuals who were wanting to hear
and understand from students. I think
everyone in the room very much cares
about the students and hearing from
students and walking with them on
this journey, that’s why they’re on this
committee. “
Currently, apartment open house
rules require a third person to be in the
room, all feet to be on the ground, no
blankets can be shared, the blinds must
be open and a guest pass must be up.
Guests cannot be in the bedrooms. RAs
check the rooms with guests once an
hour. The open hours alternate every
other day between female apartment
and male apartment, but both male
and female have open hours on the
weekends.
His proposal came about after
compiling multiple complaints from
students, and attending the Nazarene
www.collegefactual.com, Trevecca has
offered 97 percent of its new students
some sort of financial aid in the form of
scholarships or grants, averaging about
$12,845 per student.
When Ben Griggs, a junior at
Trevecca, met with financial aid in
2016 to discuss financial aid, he told
his financial aid counselor about his
family’s financial troubles due to the
hospital bills.
“Where all the trouble came for me,
being a high schooler and not having
enough money to live on campus, and
especially with my dad having cancer,
and so we had a lot of hospital bills
piling up, was how I was going to get
scholarships,” said Griggs.
By finding different scholarships
he was viable for, the counselor could
drop Griggs’ tuition from about $12,312
per semester, to around $2,000.
“It’s really graceful how great the
counseling and financial aid is here,
because they go through so much just
to keep us here and keep us happy,”
Griggs said. “I’ve has counselors who
I’ve had hour long meetings with them,
just digging through files on their
computer, seeing what they can do,
suggesting ideas, and I’ve never heard
the word ‘no’ come out of their mouths.
It’s always, ‘Let’s see what we can do.’”
Despite growing expenses, the
school has found ways of offsetting the
cost. 60 percent of Trevecca’s students
are nontraditional, who are more cost-
effective than traditional students.
Donations from alumni and faculty are
Student Leadership Conference last
spring where we compared Trevecca’s
open dorm policies with other Nazarene
Universities.
“Coming in I said I wanted to do things
for the students, but if I couldn’t finish
that I at least could build foundations,”
Palomares said. “I’m very excited about
the results.”
“The three-person rule is tabled for
now, but I hope there is more we can do
before the end of the year,” Palomares
said.
Lilienthal estimates the current open
apartment rules have stayed the same
for the last 10 years.
To Palomares, this makes sense.
“I think I am the first to propose
changes [in 10 years] because of how
much work has gone into it. I have been
in numerous meetings and those in
SGA who helped me put a lot of effort
into our research,” he said. “Not only
that, but convincing people that it is
time for change is not easy.”
Many students like Sam Whitlock
have been hopeful in a rule change for
awhile.
“We do open apartments at least
three times a week because there aren’t
places on campus where girls and guys
can have a move night or binge a Netflix
show,” Whitlock said.
common, with some even including
Trevecca in their wills as beneficiaries,
according to Whitby. The Nazarene
church also contributes, having
donated around $2 million to Trevecca
last year, said David Caldwell, EVP of
administration and finance
Despite alternate sources of revenue,
Trevecca also has to find ways to cut
money from the budget.
“That’s one of the things we do
every year,” said Caldwell. “We sit and
analyze, how can we operate more
efficiently and effectively; we’re going
through the process of that right now.”
Other measures have included
cutting down the IT department, and
managing existing resources, both
human and capital, said Caldwell.
According to Middendorf and Whitby,
Trevecca has to prioritize infrastructure
projects. Their first priorities are
renovations for the student center, as
well as renovations for the gym, and
new student housing: all improvements
for student life.
“We have other needs out there,” said
Middendorf. “I would love to renovate
Tidwell for our faculty offices and such,
but ironically, I think faculty would tell
you they want the students to have the
benefits of a new student center before
they have a renovated Tidwell. We’re
here for students. These are student
focused decisions that benefit students
the most.”
Whitlock said the proposed open
hours every night would solve this
problem.
“When it’s girl’s open apartments, I
have to ask all five of my roommates if
they will be in the room, which many
never are. Then [my boyfriend] and I
can’t hangout on campus except in the
noisy places like the Hub,” she said.
Palomares is hopeful for the
trajectory after his proposal.
“I feel that we achieved two great
goals: in changing some things, and also
starting a foundation for later classes to
feel confident in fighting for the things
students want,” Palomares said.
Dykes is proud of Palomares’ work
and appreciates the healthy dialogue.
“It’s my hope that student government
and committees work together to
discuss student life. It’s a good thing
that dialogue is happening,” Dykes
said.
Lilienthal agrees these conversations
are healthy, saying the current rules are
outdated.
“I think it’s healthy to have these
discussions, I think we need to have
them. I always welcome those kinds of
things. I’m looking forward to what we
can do to make it workable and better
for everyone,” she said.

NEWS
Students serve and march in Nashville on MLK day
CONTINUED FROM COVER
organizers for the community service day
event, has been involved with the service
day events for the past eight years.
“I think with the Martin Luther King
Day of service is that we’re part of a bigger
picture,” said Casler. “Working with
other organizations that need hands and
feet to actually do the work to alleviate
poverty in the Nashville community.”
Casler appreciated the fact that
Trevecca gave students Martin Luther
King Day off.
“I’m just really proud of Trevecca and
our administration for seeing the need
for us to have Martin Luther King Day off
and have observance of his work,” said
Casler. “I’m proud of the students who
advocated for having the Martin Luther
King Day observance as well.”
One of the students who participated
in the service day events was Stephany
Ordonez, social justice major and junior.
“It was my first time going and I really
Record rain fall causes minor flooding on campus
Students hanging out in the flooded quad. Photo provided by Audrey Yawn.
liked it,” said Ordonez. “It really opened
my eyes and it helped me see things from
a different perspective. It was awesome
how everyone came together and worked
together as one.”
Ordonez volunteered at Feed the
Children, one of the 20 organizations
that students could choose from.
Students from Fisk, Meharry, Nashville
State, Vanderbilt, Belmont, TSU and
Lipscomb also participated in the event.
On Monday, Jan. 21, Trevecca’s Social
Work club participated in the Martin
Luther King Day March at Jefferson
Street Missionary Baptist church.
Allison Buzard, social work program
director, carpooled with several other
students to the march. After the
memorial walk, participants met at TSU
for an hour-long service.
“I think that honoring Dr. Martin
Luther King’s legacy and his work of
anti-racism is so critical to who we are
as Americans,” said Buzard. “I think
it’s really important for us to pause and
honor and observe and join in that work,
because obviously that work is not done.”
While every major and student was
welcome, Buzard said it’s especially
important for social work majors to
participate in these events.
“When I think about social work
majors and our commitment to social
justice and fighting inequities, it’s so
important for our social workers to have
opportunities to advocate, and to join in
what’s already happening,” said Buzard.
Ordonez also walked in the Martin
Luther King Day March with other fellow
TrevEchoes | February | 2018 |
Students marching. Photo provided by Williamson.
students. She was surprised that this is word.
the first time that Trevecca is observing
Martin Luther King Day. The special guest for the night was
“I wasn’t fully aware of it, but now I Ernest Patton, who reflected on his
have full knowledge of what this is really memories of the civil rights movement,
all about,” said Ordonez. “I think the and his memories of moments he got to
social injustices he [Martin Luther King] spend with Martin Luther King.
talked about are still present today, and Students ended chapel, and Martin
we still need to talk through those.” Luther King Day, by holding hands and
Trevecca ended Martin Luther King singing the civil rights song, “We Shall
Day with a special chapel honoring the Overcome,” by Mahalia Jackson.
legacy of Martin Luther King. Students
sang old hymns and performed spoken
CONTINUED FROM COVER off a little after 8 p.m., students packed
ous water rescues and one death in the into the bottom floors of their dorms
Nashville area. or whatever other buildings they found
David Caldwell, executive vice pres- themselves in for safety.
ident for finance and administration, Many students, such as freshman
said flooding is expected in some areas Rachel Thompson, packed into the IRC
of campus. at the bottom floor of the library.
“Unfortunately any time we have “Normally, the IRC is really quiet,”
significant rainfall some of our facilities she said. “But all of a sudden, there are
will have moisture come in either due to about 80 plus people in there, I’m sure.
entrances being below grade or because Some people were making panic calls to
the structure itself is below grade,” said their parents, I distinctly remember one
Caldwell. person . . . was on the phone assuring
Now, in those buildings affected, her parents she was fine.”
special dehumidifiers and industrial Some students went to the flooded
fans are scattered across the floors to dry quad and began swimming in the newly
out the water. Additionally, extra drains formed pool.
have been added by plant operations,
who will also remove the pine straw
surrounding TSAC and add river rock to
protect from further damage.
“It will help,” said Glen Linthicum,
director of plant operations. “The pine
straw has a tendency to get washed
down with the rain leading to clogged
drains.”
Linthicum also said that roof repairs
made on several buildings on campus in
prior weeks, including Martin and the
girls apartments, protected from further
water intrusion.
Both Linthicum and Caldwell said
there were no significant damages.
The night also included tornado
warnings for the Nashville area.
When Trevecca’s safety alarm went
2018 | February | TrevEchoes
EDITORIAL & OPINION
From the counseling center: how to love yourself
BY SHAYE PENNINGTON
COUNSELING CENTER GRADUATE INTERN
As an intern of Marriage and Family
Therapy at the Trevecca Counseling Cen-
ter, I daily see the struggles that young
men and women face in regards to sum-
mer and their bodies. And quite hon-
estly, despite the jokes of this Nashville
weather, swimsuit season and summer
are quickly approaching.
Along with this season and the New
Year, come the great declarations of
getting swimsuit ready. The declarers
posting, sharing, and claiming - “This is
the year of me!”, “This year I will “eat-
clean!”. “This year I will lose weight”.
And one-by-one we see these resolutions
fall to wayside of unimportance as the
year dwindles into next. However, those
negative thoughts we tell ourselves each
days get louder and louder.
Jump on Facebook and see ads for how
to lose weight fast. Or try this new pick-
le-juice only cleanse - lose five pounds
this week! It’s nearly impossible to qui-
et those voices when we constantly are
Editorial: Why everyone should
celebreate Black History Month
BY KAYLA WILLIAMSON
STAFF WRITER
Black History Month can sometimes be a
controversial subject. There are those who believe
that it shouldn’t exist, and those who feel like they
shouldn’t be forced to celebrate it. I’m a firm be-
liever that everyone should celebrate Black History
Month and take time to appreciate diversity. With
increasing tensions rising in the political atmo-
sphere, unity is more important than ever. However,
unity cannot be achieved if we are not aware of the
history of different cultures.
During elementary, middle, and high school,
some may remember celebrating black history
month. Some may remember making pamphlets,
writing essays or drawing portraits of famous black
leaders. But what is not apparent during the devel-
opmental years is the lack of “color” in the history
books during the rest of the school season. Most
often than not, children are taught about slavery
and the devastating effects of racism in the south,
but history lessons usually end there, and don’t
really talk about the positive aspects of the African
American Life.
Black History Month is about celebrating black
writers, musicians, artist, engineers and doctors
that are excluded from the rhetoric taught within
the classroom that black people were simply slaves.
The Harlem Renaissance, which included great
artists like Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis
Armstrong, Zora Neale Hurston and Langston
Hughes, is usually squashed together to finish
the lesson in a single class period. The literature
taught in an English class usually features writers
and poets who lack diversity, and it closes the wide
lenses in which people can see the world. Unless
that changes, people are less likely to be curious to
learn about cultures other than their own.
That is why Black History month is so signifi-
cant and why everyone should celebrate it. No one
should be excluded from celebrating because of
their race. Education is essential to everyone. It can
be as simple as reading a book, article, listening to
music, or taking a class. The best way for people
outside of the African American community to
celebrate is to be intellectually curious. Look deep-
er than Martin Luther King, Malcolm X and Rosa
Parks. Yes, they are celebrated activist in the black
community, but we are more than just our struggle
for freedom and equal opportunity. Look to Maya
Angelou, George Washington Carver, and Michelle
and Barack Obama who are the epitome of black
fighting against the newest fad or quick there is a part of you that knows it must to stop engaging yourself in negative
fixes to “make our lives better”. shatter itself first before allowing it to be body-image activities. You know those
But the truth is … you are not a mistake. shattered by someone or something else activities that spin you into a whirlwind
When we can stop trapping ourselves in – and we do this every day with our rela- of self-hatred? Instead, surround your-
the chains of shame and self-hatred is tionship with our bodies. self with positive people who will uplift
when we can become exactly who we are Let this summer not just be about you and encourage you on a pathway to
meant to be. When we strip away our bad changing who we are, but leaning into physical and mental health.
experiences, the things we soaked into your true self with love and acceptance Find a body-image activity you do en-
our core because of an unhealthy rela- - embracing each and every inch of your- joy. Hate running? Sure! That would not
tionship, or stop identifying ourselves as self. be on my top list. How about walking or
a problem we are left alone with our very We lean in first by thanking our bod- reading a good book? Instead, choose an
own essence. And in that brokenness we ies. We say thank you for “the heart you activity that actually brings you joy.
reteach ourselves our own loveliness. kept beating even when it was broken, for Lastly, make a daily habit to stop
Isn’t it interesting how we constant- every answer you gave me in my gut, for self-objectifying. Do not think of your-
ly are putting ourselves in a cage of loving me back even when I didn’t know self as an object-to-be-changed first, but
wanting to be somewhere we are not or how to love you, and for every time you rather you are a person first - a whole
something different than what we are? recovered when I pushed you past our human-beautiful-being because, “You
We allow ourselves to be constantly ag- limits. I thank you for today, for waking cannot love your body for what you hope
itated or non-accepting. For example, up” (Wade, 2018). it turns into without actively loving it for
we grant ourselves permission to be in a The next step to self-acceptance is what it is today.”
relationship with someone, but refuse to
love because we know when we surren-
Editor’s note: This column is a rerun, the counseling center will be back next issue.
der we could lose. That’s what it means
to put yourself in a cage. You are con-
stantly struggling and fighting to make
the endgame different. It’s almost as if
success.
Black History month doesn’t have to be about
projects, writing essays, or even celebrating in the
traditional sense. It’s about learning the history of
a culture that was once forgotten about and over
looked and connecting with people from different
backgrounds.
Black History Month began as “Negro Histo- EDITORIAL STAFF
ry Week,” occurring during the second week of
February. It was established by Carter G. Woodson,
historian, author and journalist, in the year of Editor-In-Chief
1926. He wanted to have a week that celebrated the Brooklyn Dance
contributions of African Americans, and so “Negro BEDance@trevecca.edu
History Week” was created.
That week was chosen because of two significant Sports Editor Feature & Events Editor
birthdays that occur during that time: Abraham
Lincoln on February 12, and Fredrick Douglas on Maddux Reid Alexis Garcia
February 14. “Negro History Week” was expanded mkreid@trevecca.edu AGarcia@trevecca.edu
to Black History Month during the Civil Rights
Movement and was later made official by President
Gerald Ford in 1976. Online media Manager online editor
Black History shouldn’t only be acknowledged
during the month of February. It should be includ-
Ethan campbell miriam kirk
etcampbell@trevecca.edu mskirk@trevecca.edu
ed in the curriculum of schools and appreciated
year-round. African American innovation and
creativity is just as important as African American
enslavement.
Recommended Media:
STAFF WRITERS
The Civil Rights Room and The Civil Rights Col-
lection at the Nashville Public Library downtown Hannah butler Matthew Parris
HMButler@trevecca.edu MWParris@trevecca.edu
The fire Next Time by James Baldwin (non-fic-
tion)
Beloved by Toni Morrison (fiction) Bailee Ford Kallie Sohm
BDFord@trevecca.edu KESohm@trevecca.edu
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Hurston
(fiction)
The collected poems of Langston Hughes
Trevor Marbut Kayla Williamson
STMarbut@trevecca.edu KMWilliamson@trevecca.edu
(poetry)
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya
Joshua Michel Audrey Yawn
Angelou (memoir) JCMichel@trevecca.edu AAYawn@trevecca.edu
The parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler
(science fiction)
Naomi Overby
13th (film/documentary) KNOverby@trevecca.edu
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas (film/book/
fiction)
Dear Martin by Nic Stone (book/fiction)
The Kalief Browder Story (film/documentary)
42 (film/sports)
Mudbound (film/fiction)
A raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry (play/
TrevEchoes is published by and for the students of Trevecca Nazarene University. The views expressed in Trev-
film) Echoes are those of the individual contributors and do not necessarily reflect the views of Trevecca. Contrib-
utors may be edited for grammar, spelling, content, or space consideration. Our office is located in Jernigan.
SPORTS
Mental performance coach available to athletes this semester
O’Reilly speaking to coaches. Photo provided by Trevecca Athletics.
BY MIRIAM KIRK
ONLINE EDITOR
Every athlete has had a moment where
they doubted their abilities in the heat of
a game.
Nikki O’ Reilly is studying to be a mental
performance coach at the University of
Trevecca athletes post overall GPA of higher than 3.0 for 19th semester
BY KALLIE SOHM AND TREVOR MARBUT
STAFF WRITERS
For the 19thsemester in a row, Trevecca athletes
have a combined grade point average higher than 3.0.
Ninety-one of the school’s 199 athletes made the
fall 2018 Dean’s List, which equates to 45.7 percent of
all athletes. Around 32 percent of the traditional stu-
dent body made the Dean’s list.
The overall average GPA of Trevecca athletes was
3.265.
The university does not track the overall GPA of
the entire undergraduate student body, said Jonathan
Bartling, associate vice president for academic ser-
vices and accreditation.
The Lady Trojans softball team ended the semes-
ter with the highest fall GPA of 3.728 and a cumulative
team GPA of 3.588.
Athletic Director Mark Elliott said there is no poli-
cy for how coaches must ensure the academic success
of their athletes. He said it is an expectation during
hiring of coaches and the recruitment of athletes.
“As a coach, here your vision for your program has
to be memorable and portable, if we say Christian
Scholar Athlete and we mean what we say then it gets
translated to our athletes,” he said.
This academic success has been achieved despite
the fact that student athletes miss between .13 and .53
days of classes a week during the fall semesters.
The men’s and women’s basketball programs took
a different approach to traveling during the fall of
2018. Both teams have flown to all away games so far
this season, so they missed less class and spent less
time traveling.
The men’s basketball team’s fall GPA was 3.184,
compared to 2.683 in 2017.
Women’s sports teams dominated the top of the
GPA rankings this past fall semester, as all Trevecca
women’s teams earned the top six spots.
Trevecca athletes provide shoes to local children for Christmas
BY MADDUX REID
SPORTS EDITOR
When Tana Whited started thinking about
Christmas, she knew she wanted to somehow
help local children.
With the help of the Student Athlete Adviso-
ry Committee and the men’s basketball team’s
relationship with KidPower, her hopes became a
reality.
The Student Athlete Advisory Committee is a
group of nominated athletes, a couple represen-
tatives from each team, that meet throughout the
semester. They vote on proposed conference and
NCAA legislation and organize community ser-
vice efforts
Whited, a senior softball player, was looking
into reaching out to Napier Elementary as a proj-
ect, but the large number of students seemed like
too big of an undertaking. Whited told Athletic
Director Mark Elliot what she’d like to do, and he
recommended she look into working with Kid-
Power through Trevecca Community Church.
“We decided that our athletic department has
Tennessee and is on campus this semester
to help athletes be confident in themselves.
She’s working at Trevecca to meet
her clinical practice requirements for
graduation.
“I help athletes minds work for them. A
lot of the time athletes get in their own way.
For example, if an athlete were to have a
bad game or whatever the case is, then they
worry about it and over think and carry
that into the next game where they under
perform again,” said O’Reilly.
There are several techniques O’Reilly
uses to help athletes relax and focus.
“Athletes have this constant inner
monoloug going on in their mind, so one
thing I find to be helpful is taking a deep
breath. Taking a deep breath gives your
Trevecca men’s teams followed placing in the
bottom five spots of the rankings, as men’s golf
rounded out the list with a GPA of 2.577.
Academic Improvement of Men’s
Basketball
For the men’s basketball team the 2018-2019 sea-
son may be a building year on the court, but in the
classroom they are breaking records.
“Men’s basketball has traditionally been the
drag academically on the athletic department.
There have been more academic casualties in
men’s basketball than any other program,” said
Elliot. “Men’s basketball having [nearly] a 3.2 GPA
this semester [fall 2018] is by far the biggest im-
provement I have seen to date.”
This past fall, 10 men from the basketball team
made the dean’s list – the most in school history to
do so in one semester.
Head Coach Omar Mance said that the coach-
ing staff set a goal for each player to reach a 3.0
GPA or higher, and the team exceeded their expec-
tations.
“We care, and it is not just about basketball.
We care about each other. We care about growing
in our faith. We care about our education, and
we also care on the court as well,” said Michael
Thompson junior men’s basketball player.
Thompson and senior Nick Anyang are the
only two men on the basketball team who were the
team before the coaching change. Thompson said
the discipline is harder, but it is a blessing to know
he is cared about. He said he and Mance had a
conversation at the beginning of the year, and they
decided that he should take a red shirt year for his
academics this season. He said it has helped his
grades, and that he never saw himself as a student
who could have a 3.0 GPA.
To compete in Division II NCAA sanctioned
been given an awesome platform to be able to do
things like this, and it was time we got started,”
said Whited.
KidPower is an after school program offered to
kids from Napier Elementary that focuses on pro-
viding positive mentors and experiences for the
children that attend. This year, the men’s basket-
ball team has a partnership with KidPower, where
players mentor, tutor and build relationships with
young kids on a weekly basis.
When Whited approached KidPower at TCC,
she was informed of an annual Christmas party
where kids are given gifts from local sponsors. She
learned that the first through third graders that
attend were missing a shoe sponsorship this year.
With the help of Omar Mance, head men’s bas-
ketball coach, and his relationship with Mathews
Team Sports, a local Adidas dealer, 37 pairs of
shoes were purchased and handed out to the
KidPower kids that would have otherwise gone
without.
The athletes on SAAC got together to wrap the
gifts and write encouraging notes for each child,
and delivered them to TCC.
mind a second to relax and refocus on the
task you are trying to accomplish,” said
O’Reilly.
Tuesday Hunt, head athletic trainer,
believes this could be a good opportunity
for athletes.
“Nikki is fulfilling her clinical portion of
her education with us this semester. She
was referred to us through a PT colleague
that works in Knoxville. I feel like this is
a really unique opportunity that Trevecca
had never had before and might never have
again,” said Hunt.
The chance to work with a mental
performance coach is an important
opportunity for Trevecca athletes, she said.
“There are only a handful of professional
and collegiate athletic departments who
Athletic team GPAs divided by team, Fall GPA and
Cumulative GPA. Provided by Trevecca Athletics.
games all competitors must maintain a 2.3 GPA or
higher.
Mance said he allows his players, and sometimes
even requires them, to sit out of practice to work on
their studies. He also said the coaching staff requires
the players turn in progress reports from their pro-
fessors every semester. They then make the players
go to the Bud Robinson Center to find the help they
might need in certain courses.
Elliot said finding coaches who were mission
minded was a priority during the hiring process of
the new men’s basketball team staff.
Discrepancy between Men’s and Wom-
en’s sports
Trevecca sports teams are in line with a national
trend of female athletes outperforming male ath-
letes in the classroom.
Austin Woods, senior cross country and track
runner, said the reactions of the kids when they
opened up their brand new Adidas shoes was
priceless.
“Having the opportunity to watch the kids read
the notes and open the shoes was such a blessing.
Their reactions were so genuine and pure,” said
Woods.
Elliot said the feat could not have been accom-
plished without an army. The 200 plus Trevecca
athletes contributed money in order to pay the
amount in full. Between all the teams, a total of
roughly $2000 was raised in a matter of weeks to
cover the cost of the shoes. Athletes paid out of
pocket or raised money within their own teams,
and SAAC posted on social media asking for do-
nations.
“It was awesome to see what we were able to
get done for these kids in such a short amount
of time when the whole athletic department put
effort into accomplishing this goal,” Whited said.
“Their smiles when they opened the shoe boxes
are something we will never forget.”
TrevEchoes | February | 2018 |
have hired mental performance coaches.
For a small D2 school to have this
opportunity, it is basically unheard of. It
literally doesn’t exist,” said Hunt.
Mental performance is not limited to the
playing field.
“Essentially her role is to help the mental
performance aspect of life, whether that be
on the court or field or in the class room.
She teaches techniques that can train the
brain in order to have a better outcome. I
believe that sports performance is only a
small portion she can help with. Long term
I think her techniques can help with work
presentations and any other life situations,”
said Hunt.
Last fall, the women’s sports teams swept the top
six spots in the team GPA rankings.
“Not specific in all cases, and I understand this is
a gross generalization, but I think societally in this
age group women tend to take academics a bit more
seriously than men,” said Elliott.
All women’s teams finished ahead of all men’s
teams this fall, with the lowest women’s team GPA
(soccer) being .196 points greater than the highest
men’s team GPA (baseball).
The highest women’s team GPA by the softball
team was 1.151 points greater than the lowest men’s
team GPA (golf). When averaging all men’s teams
together and all women’s teams together and com-
paring the two, women’s teams achieved a 3.49 aver-
age GPA while men’s teams obtained a 3.03 average
GPA.
The distinction of highest team GPA is consis-
tently a four team race between Women’s Soccer,
Women’s Volleyball, Women’s Golf, and Women’s
Softball, according to Elliott. Women’s Softball
earned the honor this past Fall.
Head Softball Coach Ben Tyree is entering his
11th season, and has worked to build a successful
academic culture with his program.
“I think we’ve always been in the top three
for team GPAs since I‘ve been here, and I’m very
pleased that we were able to achieve first this fall,”
said Tyree.
Tyree said it’s important to recruit strong stu-
dents who have been successful academically, to
continue to build upon their culture as a program.
“When I start recruiting a player, the first thing I
do is ask them about their ACT scores and grades,
and take that into great consideration. I try my best
to look for student athletes that I feel confident can
handle the load,” he said.
Photo provided by Trevecca Athletics.
2018 | February | TrevEchoes
Trevecca honors passing of Ray Thrasher
Athletes honoring Thrasher during a basketball game. Photo provided by Trevecca Athletics.
CONTINUED FROM COVER
Shelby Morrsion, SGA director of social life, pro-
posed the idea to SGA.
“Ray Thrasher has been a pivotal part of Trevecca’s
community and has only ever wanted to see our univer-
sity succeed,” said Morrison. “I hope this gift tells Ray’s
story and paints a picture of future students who were
not able to have the privilege of meeting Ray to still
learn of her contribution to and love for Trevecca.”
Trasher graduated from Trevecca in 1964 and
taught for a few years in Alabama. She then obtained
a master’s degree in library science from Peacbody
College, which led her to work in Trevecca’s Mackey
Library until she retired to Trevecca Towers in 2009
where she lived until May of 2018
When it became evident that the old library
location in the Mackey building could not handle the
needed technological updates, Thrasher supported the
idea of a new building, and worked hard to make that
vision a reality.
All that Waggoner Library is now, with updated
technology, Wi-Fi, online databases, and circulation
resources come from Thrasher’s vision to improve the
library resources for the Trevecca community, said Pril-
la Speer, assistant professor of library and information
Non-traditional student makes most of traditional degree
BY ALEXIS GARCIA
FEATURE EDITOR
Andrew Melville spends 30 to 40 hours a week working and
attends 18 credit hours of classes, all with intention of moving back
to Jamaica to run his golf business and teach economics or business
entrepreneur.
The 57-year-old senior international business major is from Ocho
Rios, Jamaica.
Melville has two degrees under his belt. One is in golf from Keiser
University College of Golf and another degree in management from
Port Saint Lucie Florida. Now, Melville is back to get another degree.
Melville chose Trevecca because his other siblings studied here.
At first an employee at admissions assumed Melville wanted to take his
classes online or at night like other adults who study at Trevecca.
Melville did not like the idea from the start because his plan was
to take his classes during the day.
“I was insulted initially just because when I approached Trevecca,
I never considered it,” said Melville. “I have the ability to manage my
time and I want to experience hanging out on campus and getting to
know some of the students.”
Melville tries to keep up with his classes, so he devotes all the time
to focus on what he has to get done for the day. Although his schedule
is different than the 18 to 22-year-olds in his classes, he manages to stay
focused.
“It is a mindset. If you want something bad enough, you will find
the time,” said Melville. “I work around 40 to 50 hours a week, and all
my jobs are at night from 4 p.m. to 3 a.m.”
Every week, he gets around three to four hours of sleep, and on
the weekends he gets eight. According to Melville, he balances his
classes and work with prayer and a sense of purpose.
science and longtime friend and colleague of Thrasher.
“She literally would go head to head with admin-
istrators and say, ‘I need you to come look at a library’
so they could see her vision and you guys can enjoy the
library you have today. This building is built because
she had a passion for it,” Speer said.
Rebekah Davison, library student workers, recalls
frequent visits from Thrasher.
“One time, she came in and asked me if I liked
working here,” Davidson said. “I told her that I loved
my job, and she smiled and said that she got this li-
brary built. She was so proud of it.”
Speer said the new building meant a lot more than
just a place to house more books. It was the culmina-
tion of years of working, planning and dreaming
“She was a woman with passion and vision that
changed Trevecca. If God gives you that passion and
vision and you act on it, each one of us could be a bit
of Ray Thrasher wherever we are. I feel like that’s her
legacy,” Speer said.
Outside of her work in the library, Thrasher was a
dedicated fan of Trevecca athletics.
“Every sport that’s on campus, she was always at,”
said Brenda Patterson, professor of exercise and sports
Back home, he was offered a job to teach business at the Universi-
ty of Jamaica, but he didn’t feel like he should accept the offer because
he did not have the skills. He wanted to gain more knowledge from
business classes first.
Not only is Melville good at keeping up with his schedule, he also
uses him time wisely to get more knowledge.
He believes knowledge is power, so learning more about other
courses in business will help him in the long run. Every semester he
asks students if they can give copies of their syllabi from classes.
Since he has not been in school for a while, he thinks it is good to
refresh his mind by learning what young adults are learning right now.
“As an older student, the way I learned in the past and the way I’m
learning now is different,” said Melville. “If you’re not a lifelong learner,
I think somewhere along the line you are like a dying tree.”
Although there’s an age gap between Melville and friend Denisse
Garcia, a senior business administration in management, Garcia said
she likes having Melville around because he helps her with informa-
tion she does not get and insight on information.
“Personally he gives me real world setting when it comes to learn-
ing. So when I don’t understand, he gives me a real world situation for
which is easier for me to understand,” said Garcia. “It is interesting to
have someone who has been out there and who has experience.”
Roy Philip, associate professor of marketing, agrees Melville
brings knowledge to the class and praises him for coming back to finish
his degree.
“He brings more experience to the subject than other students,”
said Roy. “It is wonderful and inspirational (at his age) to come back to said Melville. “I find it refreshing to be among them.”
finish school.”
Melville encourages adults to come back to school because one
has the opportunity to comprehend young adults.
“I would recommend older students coming back. I think I can
science. “I always tell people that if she ever bled, her
blood would be purple. She just absolutely loved Trev-
ecca and athletics. They couldn’t find a better, more
consistent fan than Ray was.”
Patterson remembers the distinctive cheer from
Thrasher in the stands, and how she would keep score
by hand, just to make sure that everything matched up
with the scoreboard.
Thrasher was an encouragement to student ath-
letes.
“Many times, when she could see the team bus-
es leaving for away games, she would come and have
prayer with them. Those are the extra steps that
someone takes that makes them beyond just a fan. She
imbedded her life in that athletic program,” Patterson
said.
Last year the athletic department hosted ‘Ray
Thrasher Day,’ where Thrasher was presented with
gifts during halftime of a basketball game and the stu-
dents and coaches were given the opportunity to thank
her for all of her support.
“After everything she’s done, it was really import-
ant for everyone to be able to give that back to her,”
Patterson said.
As Thrasher got older, she still continued to find
community on campus.
“She knew the people and the people knew her.
This was a community that loved her, and it showed,”
Speer said.
On the day of Ray Thrasher’s funeral, the services
ended with a motorcade going through the Trevecca
campus one final time, stopping briefly in front of
Waggoner library, the building Thrasher dedicated so
much of her life to.
“I thought it was such a fitting tribute to her,
because she walked this campus and fed the squirrels
every day,” Patterson said. “You can’t walk around this
campus and not find something that would remind you
of her time here.”
Patterson hopes Thrasher’s story continues for
future generations of Trevecca students.
“I would like to see some way that we could honor
her, either with a plaque, more scholarships, or the Ray
Thrasher spirit award to continue her legacy across the
campus, especially within the athletic department,”
Patterson said.
Speer said Thrasher wanted students to not be
afraid to use their gifts.
“I think Ray would tell you to find what you’re
best at and do it to the best of your ability. Keep that
passion and heart that she exemplified. Don’t just sit
on the gifts that God gives you. Use them,” Speer said.
Photo provided by Melville.
relate more to young people by having gone through this experience,”
After graduation, Melville plans to get his master’s degree and
then head back to his home in Jamaica to teach business.